【Hitachi】MIOS7 Series of Operating Systems

MIOS7
The MIOS7 series of operating systems began with MIOS7. MIOS7 was developed in 1983 for the HITAC L-70 series of multifunctional office computers that were designed to be fully featured systems with a wide range of hardware scalability, such as selecting the number of connected workstations.
MIOS7 had the following features.
(1) Dialog-based processing
Various processes — including data processing, graph processing, Japanese document processing, and personal computer processing — were executed using user-friendly dialogs.
(2) Interactive Japanese language processing
Japanese input, using multi-segment kana-kanji conversion, could all be done through dialogs.
(3) Execution control based on job attributes
It was possible to select whether to run a job on the station controller or on a workstation based on the job’s attributes. Batch jobs and dialog jobs assumed to need faster processing were run on the station controller whereas dialog jobs requiring faster responsiveness were run on workstations.
(4) Simple form creation
MIOS7 supported COOKS (Cooking System), a form processing software program that simplified form creation.
(5) Hierarchal-structured files
MIOS7 supported hierarchal-structured file formats for dynamic field allocation, expansion, and deletion.
MIOS7/ES
MIOS7/ES was developed in 1986 as the operating system for the HITAC L-70/8 series of office computers that assisted the integration of office automation functions.
MIOS7/ES had the following features.
(1) Multilevel usage of core information
  • Multimedia integrated office automation functions
  • Relational databases that permitted sophisticated applications of data
(2) Information exchanges over a network system
  • Vertical distribution with the HITAC M series host
  • Vertical distribution with workstations
  • Horizontal distribution between office processors
(3) Information sharing between departments
  • Micro mainframe integration
    -Create departmental databases from the host’s core database
    -Share documents between departments with electronic cabinets
    -Distribute documents with email
  • Personal computer connections
MIOS7/AS(AS2)
MIOS7/AS was developed in 1989 as the operating system for the HITAC L-700 series of office computers that assisted more strategic applications of information.
MIOS7/AS had the following features.
(1) Autonomous distribution function
As more office processors were used to process information in more sophisticated ways, computer failures were causing more substantial operational and business stoppages. To address this weakness, Hitachi developed the “ever-run” function for the MIOS7/AS that harnessed autonomous distribution technology in a bid to create uninterruptable systems.
(2) Intelligent form recognition function
This function automatically generated complex programs for defining windows or setting up processing procedures by simply inputting an image of the form or bill layout.
Hitachi developed MIOS7/AS2 in 1993 as the operating system for the elles 7 series of office computers that, in response to the move to open systems, could be used to construct mission-critical application systems with client-server architecture using personal computers and LANs.
Micro mainframe integration
Figure 1 illustrates the concept behind micro mainframe integration.

Figure 1: Example of applying micro mainframe integration as a departmental computer

Figure 1: Example of applying micro mainframe integration as a departmental computer

The office processor, located between the host computer and workstations, manages departmental data, coordinates with the office automation software on workstations, and controls the network.

① Extract and transfer data for department use;
② Search the departmental database;
③ Transfer search results to the workstation;
④ Create the report (document);
⑤ Arrange and analyze data;
⑥ Store the report in the electronic cabinet;
⑦ Distribute the report by email;
⑧ Connect the workstation to the host.
Notes:
eDATA: end user language for database searches;
eCABINET: office document management software;
eCABINET/MAIL: email assistant;
560/20 DSC: T-560/20 emulation assistant;
OFIS/TRANS, OFIS/WORD, OFIS/CHART, and OFIS/POL: office automation software on the workstation side
The micro mainframe integration function allowed data created by operators at conventional workstations to be used effectively on the office processor as shared system assets. Furthermore, it allowed workstation operators to access and use data in core relational databases created on the host computer.
(1) Creating departmental databases from the host’s core database
The function could retrieve the departmental database from the host computer’s core database and, with eDATA, could search for and extract just the data necessary for the department in question.
(2) Sharing documents between departments with electronic cabinets
The function could store documents created at workstations in the office processor’s large storage cabinets (electronic cabinets) and then share these electronic cabinets with other departments.
(3) Distributing documents by email
The function could distribute documents in an electronic cabinet, using the mailbox function, to specified recipients at the local office processor or at other office processors.
The operating system also offered connectivity (via the PC connector) with large-capacity, high-performance file servers and print servers to satisfy business process needs for personal computer connectivity. By using the office processor as a server, personal computer operators could directly access large amounts of core task information and make use of the office processor’s data processing functionality.
Ever-run function
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the concept behind the ever-run function, which was an application of autonomous distribution technology.

Figure 2: The ever-run file function

Figure 2: The ever-run file function

Files could be duplicated and managed by separate office processors.

Figure 3: The ever-run dialog function

Figure 3: The ever-run dialog function

When a workstation could not access the window of a particular office processor, it would be seamlessly handed over to the window of another office processor.

The ever-run function allowed users to continue their current task without interruption during internal system failures or while system modifications were being made, such as adding or replacing equipment. With the ever-run function, the subsystems making up the overall system were not connected one-to-one but instead were connected via a data-exchange location (the data field) that was common to all subsystems. Each subsystem recognized data it required from the data on the data field and loaded the data into its subsystem. Processed data were tagged with a code indicating the data’s content and sent to the data field.
Intelligent form recognition function
Figure 4 illustrates the concept behind BELIEVE, an intelligent form recognition program.

Figure 4: Flow chart of the auto-form generation process using intelligent form

Figure 4: Flow chart of the auto-form generation process using intelligent form

The intelligent form recognition function could take an image scan of a form or bill and generate fields, set attributes, and generate the process steps for each field.

BELIEVE was an intelligent form recognition program that automatically generated the screens and processing steps just by inputting an image of the original form or bill’s format.
BELIEVE had the following features.
  • (1) It could create screen layouts from just an image of an existing blank form.
  • (2) The auto-generated program was in the same format as programs created with fourth-generation languages like ETOILE/OP or COBOL. The program was fully editable.
  • (3) BELIEVE could also create prototypes based on form or bill layouts created with a word processor.

　　
Cover of the Hitachi MIOS7/AS operating system’s manual  

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